INTERIOR STYLING FOR DATED SPACES
TERRACOTTA EDITION
So, you’re renting? Or maybe you want a whole new look at home without picking up a paintbrush and swapping out your flooring.
If your space doesn’t feel like you and you need a change …
Here’s how you can add your own style without making permanent changes: Terracotta Edition.
While we love modern terracotta and adore working with warm tones, faux terracotta look tiles and orange hued timber cabinetry from the 1990’s is not it.
With clever styling, you can create an entirely new look for your space without renovating. This is especially ideal when renting. Keep in mind, you want to invest in furniture and decor you love and can take with you if or when you move. Striking the right balance between what you need, what you want and items that fit the interior you live in are important factors.
We like to start with the key pieces, keeping them as timeless and neutral as possible. These are the base that we will build on to create your new updated interior style. What are your key pieces?
The dining table, dining chairs, sofa and the entertainment unit to name a few. Investment pieces (larger key pieces) can be pricey, especially if you are swapping these out every time you need a change.
Our preference when it comes to selecting key pieces:
Lighter coloured sofas with black accents (the sofa legs or feet are a good way to add a black accent).
Including black or white in dining settings.
Avoid shopping all in the one store.
Build your layers over time for a curated look and an injection of personality. Choose items you love, as items you love wont date and the latest trend will. Lastly choose something functional that is the right size for the spaces you’re working with.
In this space we already have timber in the kitchen. The entertainment unit features the same black legs as the sofa (being metal and black) and a lighter timber (we went for a honey undertone) in the same colour family as the existing kitchen. This instantly connects the old with the new.
With the base for our room now in place we have a good foundation to start bringing together an interior style that feels like us. It’s the connection between the old and the new that makes this feel cohesive.
Next up we enhance the depth and colour. In this example we went deeper/brighter.
Think plum, wine, raspberry, coral. Pops of mustard. Playful textures and patterns. We started with our favourite art print in a black frame. It showcases all the colours we are wanting to add to the space and is also in keeping with the other black accents.
The cushions we chose for the sofa are wine/maroon with a feature cushion in a check pattern. The check pattern features peach, yellow, pink, magenta. See where we are going here? These reflect what we are seeing in the art print and in the overall tone of the finishes in the room.
Blending the old with the new we choose a rug in with an organic pattern in colours with cream and peach undertones. This again pulls colours from the artwork and the dated interior blending the old and the new.
Don’t forget ambient lighting! Lighting will set the mood of a space. We always add a floor or table lamp to any living space we work in. In this instance we selected a lamp to match the black accents and picture frame. For this living room, we chose a minimal black floor lamp.
Finally, we selected a modern and interesting side table. It’s shape and deep rich colour are a focal point. They draw the eye from the artwork to the throw cushions around the room to the rug. The focus of this space is no longer it’s dated finishes.
In summary:
Black, white or a combination of the two are always a good base.
Add natural elements - think timber in the same colour tone but in a shade to fit with the new style.
Add dimension with similar colour families - when talking about terracotta we are thinking mustard, yellow, pink, wine (warm tones).
Counterbalance with opposite colours (cool tones). For this space we opted for plum in a dark shade.
You can apply the same idea to styling a home you rent or to give a home you own a fresh new look without renovating.